Family Tension
by blind-runaway
Summary: One shot of the tension between Lin and Toph after Toph sends Su away (Book 3 ep 6 reference) Kataang and Tenzin also get involved too. Rated T for profanity usage!


**Lin and Toph tension after Toph sends Su away (Book 3, ep 6 flashback if you're not sure what I'm talking about). Something different I just kind of thought of one night. _Profanity warning_! But as always, enjoy!**

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><p>Lin marched into the deluxe-apartment before her mother could. She almost slammed the door behind her, but instead she just marched angrily into her room. She slammed her door and locked it with metal bending. Lin threw off her officer uniform, leaving herself in a tanktop and her underwear. She slipped on a baggy pair of sweatpants and flopped into bed.<p>

_Why can't I ever get the easy way out of anything?_

_If no one wants me around why can't they just send **me** away?!_

_Gosh! Why does my own mother hate me?!_

The pounding in her head became a reality, only it was her mother banging on her bedroom door.

"Lin, open up!" Toph ordered.

Lin completely ignored her, and forced her eyes shut. A stray tear left her watery eyes and rolled down her pale cheek.

"Lin, open this door right now!" Toph demanded. "Don't make me come in there on my own!"

Lin, in her 19 years, had had 6 replaced doors from Toph breaking her way into her daughter's room. Su'yin though, only had 2. Lin grunted loudly, and angrily. She climbed out of bed and opened the door, avoiding a 7th door replacement.

"Do you have a warrant?" Lin asked, not even thinking about what she had said. She was so angry, upset, and disappointed in her mother and she had just made a cheesy police officer joke?

_Who even am I?_ Lin asked, bowing her head into her hand in shame.

Toph forced out a chuckle and leaned against the doorway, "that was pathetic."

"So why are you even in here?" Lin forced, "to beat the shit out of me, tell me I'm no good, and ramble on and on about how Su's so much better and she's just a kid. Technically, I'm still a kid too! I haven't made a fourth of the amount of mistakes _you've_ made, so I don't know where you think you can stand to judge me about mine!"

Toph let out a breath of hair, that sounded angry, but there was definitely a hint of humor there. Lin gawked at her. All Lin got out of that was the mockery and humor.

"This isn't about anyone's mistakes," Toph said.

Lin blinked at her.

"Actually no wait, I lied," Toph said, "this is about my mistake."

Lin scoffed, "What about sending Su away? Why does she always get the easy side of things. I've always had to bend over backwards to try and get my ass out of any trouble she caused us. And even though she caused all the issues in the past, I've always had to pay the price. It's never going to be fair, is it now?"

Toph stomped a foot forward at Lin, and the room shook.

"You think _you_ bend over backwards to get rid of your minor little problems? Look at me!" Toph screamed, furious. "I have had to raise two ungreatful little _brats_ for nearly 20 years. Remind you that neither of your fathers stuck around either. The Beifong bloodline did not get so damn lucky this time! Don't come whining to me about having to bend over backwards, because I don't want to fucking hear it!"

"Get out of my room, mother," Lin ordered, but she was trying to fight tears, so it came out as a mumble.

"What?"

"Get out of my room," Lin demanded. "_Now!_"

Toph grunted angrily, muttering something under her breath. She backed up and walked away, and Lin slammed the door right behind her. Lin fell to the floor on her knees, and tears came running down her face.

_That's it!_

She watched as the tears rolled from the tip of her chin onto the tan carpet. She wiped at them, and finally stood up. She walked over to the windowsill and bended it to unlock. Then, she opened it and slid out, metalbending it shut behind her. She still had a roll of metal wires around her her waist, and she used that to safely get down the side of the apartment building.

She then made her way to the docks of Republic City, and took a small boat to Air Temple Island. The sun was just setting, meaning that Tenzin would be doing his last meditation of the day with his father. She also needed some medical attention, and hoped to the spirits that Katara was available. When she arrived at the docks of the island, she exchanged a bow to the acolytes and tried her best to remain calm on her way up the steps. She always felt at peace when she would go to the island, and she was sure it was because of the amount nomadic culture. She always found the culture to be very interesting and peaceful, but being an earthbender, she knew she could never adapt to it personally. It was way easier to calm down on the way to the temple, then it if she were still at home. And she personally liked it better now that they were older, and it was basically just Aang, Katara, and Tenzin at the temple anymore.

Kya, in her exact words, left to travel the world, seeking to find out where her path was cause at 22 years old she didn't seem to find it yet. Katara and Aang had no problem with this, since they could see her confusion. All her life she was pressured by the press, who tried to create her path for her, instead of Kya deciding for herself. They still got to stay in touch with Kya, by receiving letters and post cards from her about every 1-2 weeks. Kya wasn't a late bloomer at all, but Aang and Katara were very understandable and easy going when it came to discussing life decisions with their children. They never wanted the press controlling their children's lives. Whenever Aang could, he'd object what the press had to say, and the publishers of the weekly newspapers. Bumi had been in the United Forces for over 5 years, and Katara and Aang were lucky enough to receive a letter from him monthly. But they were happy that Bumi didn't let the thought of him being a non bender control him from making his big decisions. Bumi easily settled into the United Forces, which made the couple feel relieved. But they still are on the edges of their seats at times, because the thought that anything could happen to Bumi and they wouldn't be there to stop it was often crossing their minds.

When she reached the door, she knocked twice, and looked into the window to see if any lights were on. She saw a shadowed figure move past, making its way to the door. She was so relieved when Katara opened it.

"Lin?" The 55 year old waterbending master asked, puzzled to see her friend's daughter here without notice at such a strange hour.

"Aunt Katara, thank goodness!" Lin cried, giving Katara a very quick hug.

Katara hugged her back. She was concerned, since she knew that Lin was much like her mom, and hated hugs. But she then welcomed Lin into the house after they separated from the embrace, which she never had the chance to do, since it seemed as if the Beifongs just loved to invite themselves into others' homes.

"I'm sorry to just kind of show up..." Lin said once they were situated in the kitchen with a round of tea, "And you're probably really confused."

"Well, I'm more concerned right now," Katara said, staring at the bandage on Lin's cheek.

Lin sighed before continuing, "Today while I was on duty, I was chasing a get away car. I managed to stop them, and the car spun around and what not. So I waited for the driver to come out, because the damage wasn't that harmful so I knew the driver was alive... And it my sister who climbed out of that car."

_"Leave them alone!" A familiar, young voice called out._

_Lin gasped, "Su?!"_

_"So you're robbing stores with a rabid triad now?" Lin asked._

_"I didn't steal anything!" Su'yin argued, "I just drove the car. I owed my friends a favor, it's not a big deal."_

_"I'm not letting you get away with this," Lin growled through her clenched jaw. _

_Su laughed at her in mockery, "Oh, what are you going to do, officer? Arrest me?" _

_Su rolled her eyes at Lin and began to walk away. _

_"Don't even think about taking one more step!" Lin ordered._

_Su paused, then took another two steps. Lin, already enraged enough, shot out her wire at Su forcefully. It latched and tied around Su's wrist. Su then got angry, and bended out a blade from her metal cuff. She sliced the metal wire, splitting it into two pieces. It went flying back at such a fast speed, and it sliced the right side of Lin's cheek, causing her to screech out in pain._

Lin was wincing just as she was retelling the story to Katara. The sun had set when Lin finished the story. They heard the back door open and shut, but ignored it, knowing it was Tenzin and Aang. Katara gently and carefully removed the bandage from Lin's cheek. She then bended water from her pouch and onto Lin's right cheek and began to heal it. The kitchen was over illuminated with a bright blue glow, which drew the attention of the two airbenders. They came rushing into the kitchen. And once they saw Katara healing Lin, of all people, they were concerned, but also puzzled.

"Lin?" Tenzin asked, walking over to the table.

"Is everything all right?" Aang asked.

Lin let out an aggravated sigh, "No."

"What happened?" Tenzin asked, taking the seat beside her.

"I really don't want to tell the whole story again," Lin said, "but, to make a long story short; my sister happened."

Aang shot Katara a concerned look, Katara slightly shook her head, and Aang knew she'd tell him later.

Katara bended the water back into her pouch. She let out a sad sigh. She kept glancing at the marks on Lin's face, and each time her expression just grew with sadness and pity.

"I'm sorry, Lin," Katara said, "but this is a scar. I can't do anything about it."

"Ugh," Lin grunted, "I knew it. Every time my sister just gets the easy way out and I am left to suffer the consequences."

Lin stood up and marched out of the kitchen, and out of the temple. Tenzin stood up and excused himself, and followed after her.

When Tenzin shut the door behind him, and walked out further into the courtyard, he wasn't surprised to hear the sound of giants rocks crashing against each other, and falling back into the ground. The crashing got louder, and even shook the ground surrounding them a bit. As the intensity continued, Lin grunted with each movement, taking out all of her anger on the ground.

She lifted up a giant boulder, but was stopped her boyfriend's soothing and comforting voice. She dropped the chunk of earth, listening and feeling it forcefully crash back the ground. She then stood there, speechless.

Tenzin walked over to her, and wrapped his arms around her protectively. Lin immediately melted into his embrace, and began to sob. Tenzin guided her to a near by rock, one that she had not destroyed, and sat down with her onto it. He pulled her closer to his chest, and let her tears bleed into his robes.

"So this was a family issue?" Tenzin asked, rubbing her back.

He felt her nod into his shoulder.

"And what happened to Su, that made you suffer the consequences this time?" Tenzin asked.

Lin shifted, and sat up a little so she wouldn't be talking into Tenzin's armpit. She leaned her left cheek on his chest, and used it to wipe away her tears that flooded down her cheeks.

"Well basically I caught her in criminal act, driving a get away car. When I threw out my wire, she cut it and it sliced in half and shot back and cut me in the face. Then when I brought her to the station, my mom just tore up the report," Her tone had quickly grew extremely angry again, "and sent Su away to our grandparents' and just acted like nothing happened at all!"

Another rock was mashed into the ground.

"And all my mom said in defense was, 'I'm the chief of police, I can't have a daughter of my own in jail.'" Lin was now yelling angrily.

"Wow," Tenzin said, "and that really blows, 'cause we both know that if that was just some ordinary family they'd get tossed in jail within the blind of an eye."

"Yep! Exactly!" Lin cried at the top of her lungs.

Tenzin pulled her into a close embrace again, and kissed the crown of her head. Lin shifted into his embrace and tilted her head up to give him a kiss on the lips. The kiss quickly turned into a more passionate kiss, and before they could do anything else, they were interrupted by the sound of someone clearly their throat. Lin, turned a quick shade of pink, then looked up to see her mother standing there. She quickly hopped up and stomped at the ground angrily.

"What are you doing here?" Lin asked assertively.

"Might I ask you the same question?" Toph asked, avoiding to respond to her daughter with a direct answer, "C'mon, I came over here to bring you home."

"I'm not going anywhere with you," Lin sputtered, "I hate you for what you've done all my life! I don't want anything to do with you right now. I'm staying here!"

"You want to talk about the who has ruined our lives, cause I think the feeling is mutual," Toph said.

"Exactly what I'm talking about!" Lin yelled, "You... You don't care about me at all. You're an awful mother, and a awful human being! You don't realize what's great when it's right in front of you!"

"I do realized what's great, and the only things in my life that were great have left, or I personally have sent them away so your ungratefulness doesn't rub off onto them!"

And that was it. That was all the rage Lin needed in one day. Without hesitating, she picked up a boulder, the size of a fourth of the temple and chucked it at Toph. Toph avoided it, and sent boulders at her daughter's way.

"You really want to challenge the woman who taught you everything you know?" Toph taunted.

Tenzin jumped in, and helped Lin avoid what her mother chucked at her.

After five minutes of commotion, white lotus guards caught up and interfered.

"Don't get involved!" The Chief ordered, "this is just a family issue!"

Toph chucked at rock at the guards, sending them flying.

After a few more boulders being thrown back and forth, a whip of water knocked all three of them onto their bottoms. Then a overly powerful gust of wind followed, and out from what seemed like nowhere, Katara and Aang stood, looking angrier than an enraged bull-frog.

"And just what do you think you're doing practically destroying my entire island?" Aang yelled at the top of my lungs.

"Talk about having no sense of self control!" Katara jumped in.

Toph stood back up on her feet. And on the other side of the courtyard, Tenzin was nearly shoved back onto the ground after offering Lin a hand to pull her up back on her feet.

"What the hell is your problem, Toph?" Aang yelled.

Meanwhile, Katara had rushed over to her son, and Lin to make sure they were all right. Lin was dusting herself off, and Tenzin had backed up a couple of steps cause Lin was back to being snappy.

"You better be back here tomorrow cleaning your mess up, or I will press charges against you!" Aang ordered.

"Hah, I'm the chief of police you can't charge me," Toph said, scoffing, and turning away from him.

"I'm the Avatar," Aang reminded her sternly, "I'm the one standing on higher grounds here."

"Yeah, whatever," Toph said, "Tell somebody who cares."

Aang was red from top of his head to the bottom of his neck in anger.

"I want you off this island immediately. And the only time you'll be allowed back here is when you come back to clean up and fix your mistakes!" Aang demanded. "It's time for you to grow up, Toph."

Toph just let out a huff, blowing her bangs out of her face.

"I don't care if you're taking Lin with you or not," Aang said, "Leave. Now!"

Lin then shouted from across the courtyard, "I'm staying!"

"Then there you have it," Aang finalized, "Now go."

"I'm on it, okay?" Toph yelled, "jeez."

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><p>Katara grabbed two fresh towels from the closet and brought them into the bathroom, where Lin sat on the closed toilet seat, in her dirty tank top and sweatpants. Katara turned on the water for her, and gave her nice shampoo, conditioner, and body wash.<p>

"I'm sorry that what happened tonight, happened," Katara said before Lin could even make a move to pull off her belt with the metal wire. "But as you know, we're always here if you need to spend the nights. Please let us know if your mom lashes out like that again. And I don't think she can come back following you here anymore."

"Thank you so much, Katara," Lin said, "I really appreciate it. I've always known that my mother isn't the... nicest person around. But, tonight... That was ridiculous. I'm not even sure if she even likes me at all."

"I'm sure she does, I'm sure she loves you deep down in her heart, somewhere," Katara said, "But despite that, all of us here love you, too. You're always welcome here, sweetie."

"Thanks once again," Lin said.

Katara nodded and left, closing the door behind her, to give Lin her privacy.

She met Aang and Tenzin in the kitchen. The three of them sat at the table, discussing the events of the night. The three of them were exhausted, and agreed that they'd had enough for one night.

"So is Aunt Toph really banished from the island?" Tenzin asked.

"Well when you put it that way it sounds harsh," Aang said, humorously.

Tenzin chuckled, but then said, "Yeah, but looking at what she did tonight, banishment doesn't sound so harsh after what she did."

"Yeah, I agree with you there," Katara said, nodding her head.

Tenzin chuckled again, and stood up to make his way to his bedroom and wait for Lin to get out of the shower. Aang stopped him in his tracks.

"Wait," Aang ordered.

"Yeah?"

"Oh spirits forbid if something happens and you two break up," Aang said, "don't do it on the island please."

The three of them immediately burst out into laughter.

After recovering from laughing so hard, Tenzin stood up straight and nodded, "You bet I wont."

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><p><strong>Wow so I'd just like to add that I don't hate Toph. I'm sure she was a decent mom but you know every family has some kind of flaw, am I right? I'm sorry if the ending got a little choppy and not very descriptive... Please shoot me a review and tell me what you thought.<strong>

**AND as for my story Blood For Blood... I'm sorry tbh I don't have a reason other than laziness and a gigantic writers block for that story. I'm probably going to end up deleting it... **


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